Jacoby’s Burger in HBC – Big Burgers For Big Appetites

Please don’t be intimidated by the massive plate of food in front of you. Or do. That’s alright too. There are forks and knives for your convenience, and you’re going to need them. Jacoby’s Burger, located in Noksapyeong, provides nearly everything you can ask for in a burger joint, including fresh ingredients, and an absolutely absurd amount of it. Also, customize your burger however you like!

How to get there: Walk out of exit 2 at Noksapyeong Station (Line 6), which is conveniently just outside of Itaewon. Continue walking forward out of the exit for roughly 500 meters until you reach a fork in the road. Take the left, and you will see some Kimchi pots for sale. Continue walking for another 500 meters or so up a gradual hill, and you will pass a few other burger spots, as well as Phillies Pub. Jacoby’s in on your right, and it is across the road from Camping Company and Genie Pub. This one is pretty hard to miss, as long as you take the fork to the left.

This is the infamous fork in the road heading to Haebangchon. Keep heading left towards the green buses.

Service and Atmosphere: This was my favorite part of the restaurant. First of all, I was seated immediately and given a menu, as well as another pad of paper for ordering. I showed up around 1pm on a Tuesday, and the place was fairly busy, and continued to be throughout my time there. The next thing I noticed after filling out the extensive order sheet was a sign above the counter, which is shown below. At the bottom of the sign you will see, “All Burgers are made right on the spot requiring a minimum wait of 20 min.” NOT ONLY are you going to construct this rib-eye, brisket burger special for me, but you’re going to warn me to cool my fucking jets for a second and let the master do his work? I love it. They literally kill the cows behind the restaurant, and you can watch for an extra 5,000 KRW. That part’s not true. Yet the buns ARE baked fresh daily, and all of the vegetables are organic. Fresh to death. I sat in the limited “outside” area, which consists of about 5 tables in an open air restaurant.

Hawaiian Bacon Burger (14,500KRW): The burger comes standard with pineapple, hash brown, and bacon. I customized it on a wheat bun, with pepper jack cheese, a rosemary patty cooked medium, grilled onions, tomato, and egg. The egg cost an extra dollar, and there are other options available for an additional 1,000-3,000 KRW. When it arrived to the table, I was very literally concerned as to how I was expected to consume such a masterpiece. As previously stated, I needed the fork and knife in order to tackle it. Some may have a slight issue with this, but I’m not one of those people. I thoroughly enjoyed the burger itself. With plenty of natural ingredients, I find it difficult not to. The only piece which was a little off-putting was the patty itself (ordered medium), which came out slightly overcooked for my taste. Nothing to ruin the meal, but worth noting. I still prefer this to other I tried out.

Guacamole Chicken Bacon Burger (13,000KRW): Really wanted to try both aspects of the carnivorous side of the Jacoby’s burger menu, so I ordered this one to go. Also, I’m very considerate of you, the reader, so I had to provide some more perspective. This one comes standard with Guacamole, Bacon, and Pineapple. Without the crazy frills of the last burger, this one was much more manageable. That being said, not everything that you order here necessarily has to be of gargantuan proportions. I customized it with a regular-ass white bun, mozzarella cheese, and fresh onions. If you are looking for something a little more lean, I found the chicken breast to be fantastic, and adequately sized. The guacamole was made with bits of tomato, and it was just alright. This one was fairly basic, not bad, nor life changing.

Fries (7,000KRW): These would be more appropriately labeled as potato wedges, as they are enormous as well. They are sprinkled with parsley, and come with a very smooth sour cream. While slightly pricey, the portion provided the ability to share between two rather easily. I didn’t finish them, though certainly not out of lack of want. They were excellent. There is also a plethora of available condiments for your perusing, to further customize your experience. These include honey mustard, hot sauce, mayo, a mesquite bbq, and ketchup.

Menu: The menu is fairly extensive, moving beyond just burgers into pasta, wings, and plenty of salads. There really is something for everyone. There is even a veggie burger for those of you that won’t be paying the extra 5,000 KRW (it’s still not true). The most important thing to note about Jacoby’s is the ability to customize your burger to your specific tastes. There are photos below to show the ordering process and the options. As far as beverages are concerned, Jacoby’s offers numerous cocktails, wines, and liquors. While not listed on the menu, they also have Max on draught behind the counter.

Who SHOULD go to Jacoby’s Burger: Hungry fools who can afford to wait a few minutes for some quality eats prepared specifically for them. If you are around Itaewon and fit these qualifications, this place is for you.

Who SHOULD NOT go to Jacoby’s Burger: Anyone looking for a quick, easy meal. This place takes some dedication. Not only will you be sitting for a cool minute, but you’re not going to be fully functional for an hour or two afterward.